It is “unfortunate that Opposition spokesman Walter Roban is trying to turn this serious situation into a political issue,” Junior Minister of National Security Senator Jeff Baron said, adding that “it is best to leave politics to the side and just provide the Bermuda Police with the support they need to bring perpetrators to justice and make our streets safer.”

Senator Baron was speaking after the armed robbery at Continental Motors on North Shore on May 6th, which saw two men escape with an “undisclosed amount of cash” after brandishing a gun at the staff.

Following the robbery, Shadow Minister of Home Affairs Walter Roban said the PLP “condemns the actions” and said “our thoughts remain with those faced with this antisocial behaviour.”

Mr Roban added, “This incident again raises serious questions around the ability of the Premier and National Security Minister, Michael Dunkley, and the OBA to bring about a decrease in this pattern of crime.

“While in Opposition the Premier, then a Senator, made it clear that increases in crime are a result of the Government’s ability to manage National Security effectively.

“It would therefore only be appropriate that he apply this same standard to himself, and provide the leadership and resources needed to combat our growing crime rates.”

“People see these crimes as challenges to the very fabric of their community life, and the need to prevent them is, without question, a community-wide priority.

“It is therefore unfortunate that Opposition spokesman Walter Roban is trying to turn this serious situation into a political issue, and to do so using misinformation.

“Contrary to Mr. Roban’s assertion, there has been a significant reduction in robberies under the OBA Government’s watch. From 2013 to 2015, the number of robberies was 44% less than the period from 2010 to 2012 – some 136 fewer robberies.

“That does not make the recent rash of robberies any easier to accept, but I take exception to Mr. Roban’s attack on the Premier’s National Security leadership when the record shows clear progress on an issue that was a national crisis during the PLP Government’s final years.

“I am equally disturbed that Mr. Roban has, in effect, used this latest incident to call into question the ability of the men and women of the Bermuda Police Service.

“I’ve seen first hand the long hours, hard work and sacrifice these dedicated officers make in the fight against crime. While Mr. Roban may have his doubts about their ability to reduce crime, I want all officers to know that we have no doubts and that we will continue support them in their vital mission.

“This was not the case under the PLP Government, which underfunded BPS operations year after year – an indication they did not take seriously its plans to make Bermuda safer.

“It is best to leave politics to the side and just provide the Bermuda Police with the support they need to bring perpetrators to justice and make our streets safer,” concluded Senator Baron.

Comments (32)

Stop the blame game bie’( Opposition spokesman Walter Roban) This was and will continue to go on providing the “people” don’t “prick on them that are doing it”. The Progressive Labour Party couldn’t / didn’t do anything to combat crime/s from increasing when in”Power” and now, all they do is run their mouths Sad but true! I’ll suggest it once again; “offer handsome rewards for the arrest and conviction/s of these “wanna-be-gangsters” and then we will see a difference..

NO one made this more of a political game than the OBAubp did pre-election…the short-term memories of the OBAers is really something else. MP Dunkley was caution against making Gang Violence a Political Football over and over again, more so not to make it about winning political point to win the government, but the OBAubp continued on…..so lets not forget who played such a game…..

This time when faced with high crime rate the OBA wants folks to forget it, as they promised pre-election they were the party who could stop Gang Violence as well as crime……oooh how soon they want to now forget….really

It is important for the OBA to come forward with Solutions, but do not attempt to push it aside as if they were not the ones who pushed such a political football around which today we see has come back to haunt them …………

Exactly – what’s good for the goose is good for the gander… When the PLP were in charge of National Security it was the same ra ra coming from the opposition…now it’s a problem?.. You can’t make this stuff up.

It is also a bit hypocritical of the PLP – what were they doing when the murders were at their height? I seem to remember the then premier blaming it on the Governor – ignoring the fact that whoever controls the budget basically controls the police … ah well.

Jeremy Deacon, the OBA did exactly the same thing the PLP is doing now. They promised to stop the shootings and reduce crime…something they blamed the then ruling party for. Now that they’re in power, and failing at what they promised, suddenly they’re asking to leave the politics out of it? If anybody is being hypocritical, it’s the OBA!!

Jeremy, lets be honest you know I often caution the OBAubp about making Gang Violence and Crime a Political Football over and over again. I indicated that the root of the problem had to be addressed first, now they are trying to point at the PLP, yet they were guilty of doing so pre-election for pure political points……

If what the Senator is saying is correct then why has the OBA government cut their budget 3 straight years in a row. Contrary to popular belief serious crime isn’t going down but up instead. I continually hear that the police are putting more patrols on the street but that doesn’t seem true as I hardly see patrols on the street. Also the top cop is continually letting officers go without rehiring. So crimes on the rise while officers are on th decline with a shrinking budget. Maybe this is be design. The opposition needs to keep the pressure on this government.

Paula Cox and Burch reduced police funding for years in a row. And just for kicks, here are the robbery statistics. Those pesky facts. 2011:88 2012:66 2013:33 2014:33 2015:46 So which years have the better records, and who was in charge?

How about Murder: 2011:8 2012:6 2013:5 2014:4 2015:4

How about Serious Assaults: 2011:65 2012:71 2013:56 2014:61 2015:58

So when you said: “Contrary to popular belief serious crime isn’t going down but up instead”, you were actually talking complete and utter rubbish. Just like that moron Roban.

The PLP was working on solutions that addressed the root causes of the problem, as a result as time went on the outcome would be a reduction in crime and gang violence…however as these solutions have not been continued we can continue to see a slow increase in crime again…….really

How can politics be left aside when the government pays the police service and we have a national security minister who just happens to also be THE PREMIER!!!!WOW!!!!talk about a$$-backwards thinking! The Minister and Premier are not responsible for INTERNATIONAL affairs, that’s left to the “governor”, but he has total responsibility as both Leader AND Security minister and he has absolutely done ZERO to discourage the recent robberies against “black” businesses that seem only to be targeted! it really is patheritcic that people will only think about the last party in power rather than the job at hand.. Its a small wonder that Bermuda is in such a confused state not knowing right from wrong and too concerned with being politically correct when this very premier/security minister also committed the ultimate when he dropped the F-bomb in the very place that determined it was considered unlawful language and punishable by fine! Crickets…….

To suggest that crime, in a community that depends on International Business and Tourism to drive its economy, is not “political” is both naive and ignorant. Of course it is political and this government needs to work with the Police to figure it out. These brazen armed robberies are occurring to frequently. What is frustrating is that we only hear from the Minister of National Security or his Junior Minister after something bad has happened. Get proactive OBA and fix it! Touring the Azores and attending baseball games will not get the job done.